The defeated second-tier play-off finalists are believed to have made progress in search of securing a deal however, and have agreed a fee widely reported to be around £5million for the winger.

The 30-year-old, who graduated from Boro’s academy and made 234 appearances before leaving in 2009, is set to sign a five-year deal upon his return.

The former Aston Villa and Liverpool man will undergo a medical on Thursday, and he could join up with the rest of the Boro squad at their training camp in Marbella by the end of the week if the deal is completed in time.